Long Range Services Plan

About the Fort Worth Public Library Long Range Services Plan

In 2001, the Fort Worth Public Library began its first-ever long range service planning process. The Library had just recently concluded its centennial celebration, and realized a plan to direct future services was necessary. “One hundred years is time to stop, take a look back and see how you want to move into the millennium,” explained library director, Gleniece A. Robinson.

The Library followed the principles outlined in the Public Library Association’s Managing for Results: Effective Resource Allocation for Public Libraries and Planning for Results: A Public Library Transformation Process. The PLA’s planning process stresses community involvement in identifying library service priorities.

On Tuesday, December 18, 2001, Fort Worth City Council named Dubberly Associates, Inc. as the consultant to engineer the public library’s Long-Range Services Plan. Dubberly is a research firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. The contract with Dubberly was negotiated to achieve the most comprehensive planning activities, including best practices and significant public input through 20 public/focus group meetings, within the project budget of $375,000. “We believe Fort Worth Public Library is responsive to community needs and will be creative in providing effective library services”, said Ronald Dubberly, Dubberly’s president.

Dubberly was one of two firms that qualified to be interviewed by the Fort Worth Long-Range Services Plan Steering Committee, composed of citizens, library employees and other staff from other city departments. The firm was selected unanimously by the committee. Committee member and executive director of The Fort Worth Public Library Foundation, Betsy R. Pepper, voiced her support for the plan by saying, “The city is growing, the population is changing, needs are changing. The whole way information is delivered and accessible is important.”

Funding for the process was the result of unique partnerships and came from four sources: a $175,000 donation from The Fort Worth Public Library Foundation, Inc.; $150,000 from the city and $25,000 donations from the Friends of the Fort Worth Public Library, Inc. and the Hazel Vaughn Leigh Trust. “The Friends are pleased to be the Library’s partner as it moves forward with a plan that will address the challenges of how best to serve the community,” declared Friends’ president, Bunny Gardner.

The final plan was presented in October 2003 and approved by City Council in February 2004. A previous plan in 1981 examined only facilities and called for the addition of ten library locations and the expansion of the Central library, of which four locations were added and Central’s expansion accomplished. The 1981 study was predominately conducted by employees.